By: Lauren Rauchenberg

Bell Canyon Equestrian Center is spending time, energy, manpower and money to get the arena footing just right. Barn Manager Karen realizes the importance of proper footing for horses and is currently working to prevent some of the issues that often accompany poor footing in horse arenas. This is an interesting article by Jody Gilbert:

Give your horse consistency, cushioning, traction and support.

Poor arena footing can take the fun out of riding. Even worse, poor arena footing can create untold hardships for your horse, compromising performance, stealing confidence and putting him at risk for injury and degenerativeproblems such as osteoarthritis. Yet installing and maintaining safe, effective arena footing can be difficult,in part because of the many variables involved.

To help you sort out your arena footing options, we’re going to look at some factors to consider when deciding what type of arena footing makes sense for your situation. If you understand the benefits and limitations of different types of footings and how they’re likely to behave under particular conditions, you’ll be able to make smart,realistic choices and arrive at what works best for you.

How you use your arena will determine what kind of footing is best. Driving a cart requires a more compacted footing than a jumping arena because a shallower footing will help your horse pull the cart more efficiently.

For more information on sand, particle size, mineral composition and many other details, go to http://www.equisearch.com/farm_ranch/arenas/horse-arena-footing/